[Prevalence of sensitisation to aeraoallergens and food allergens: results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1)]

In view of the increasing prevalence of allergies, up-to-date data on the prevalence of allergic sensitisation are of major interest. In the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1) (2008-2011) blood samples from a population-based sample of 7,025 participants aged 18 to 79 years were analysed for specific IgE antibodies against 50 common single allergens and screened for common aeroallergens (SX1) and grass pollen (GX1). In all, 48.6 % of the participants were sensitised to at least one allergen. Overall, men were more frequently sensitised to at least one allergen than women were. Sensitisations to at least one allergen were more common among younger than older participants and among participants with a higher socio-economic status. In all, 33.6 % of the participants were sensitised to common aeroallergens, 25.5  % to food allergens and 22.6 % to wasp or bee venoms. Compared with the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98), the prevalence of sensitisation to common aeroallergens increased from 29.8 to 33.6 %.This increase was statistically significant only in women. The results of DEGS1 still showed a high prevalence of allergic sensitisation. An English full-text version of this article is available at SpringerLink as supplemental.

[Public health care utilisation. Initial results of the Telephone Health Survey 2003]

More than 90% of adults have a family doctor. The more chronic diseases and the more subjective health problems the interviewees had, the more often they had been to see their family doctor. Senior citizens and people with lower social status or a higher BMI go to see their family doctors more frequently. People who say they consume a lot of alcohol consult a doctor less often than others. Privately insured people also go to see their family doctors less frequently. Almost two-thirds of the adult population in Germany have seen a doctor in the last 3 months, and 44% of people over 60 had an influenza vaccination this year. People are much more willing to have an influenza injection in eastern Germany than in the west. More than half of the people questioned over the age of 35 has had a general health check-up at least once in their lives. Men have health check-ups slightly more often than women do. Of the women, 80% have participated at least once in a cancer screening programme, and as many as 60% of women had a cancer scan during the last year. Men take up cancer screening offers less often than women do. Inpatients stay for an average of 2 weeks in hospital per year. Just under 30% of those questioned have had medical rehabilitation treatment.

Two new selenoproteins found in the prostatic glandular epithelium and in the spermatid nuclei

After labeling of rats in vivo with 75Se and protein separation by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis more than 25 Se-containing bands could be distinguished. Of those proteins which were detected only in certain compartments and might therefore have tissue-specific functions, two were chosen for detailed investigation. A 15 kDa-protein was found in the prostatic epithelium where it accounted for about two thirds of the protein-bound 75Se. It was mainly present in the cytosol but was not released into the prostatic secretion. After gel chromatography it was found in the fraction which contained proteins with molecular masses of about 300 kDa. Using two-dimensional electrophoresis a pI-value of about 4.5 was determined. In the testis a specific Se-containing 34 kDa-protein was observed which appeared after the onset of puberty. It was localized in the spermatid nuclei where it contained about 80% of the Se tracer present and was found to be bound to the DNA. After extraction it partly disintegrated into a 20 kDa-protein. Both compounds contain Se in the form of selenocysteine. The fact that their formation had priority over that of glutathione peroxidase during insufficient Se intake is an indication of their biological significance. Special interest in the prostatic epithelial selenoprotein derives from a possible inverse relationship between the Se status and the incidence of prostate cancer observed in epidemiological studies, whereas with the 34 kDa-selenoprotein its appearance during the condensation phase of the spermatid nuclei might suggest its participation in some processes of sperm maturation.

A new selenoprotein found in the glandular epithelial cells of the rat prostate

An inverse relationship between the Se status and the incidence of prostate cancer suggests a significant role of Se in this organ. After labeling of rats with 75Se and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis a strongly labeled prostatic 15-kDa protein band was found which was equally distributed among the different lobes. It was localized in the epithelial cells of isolated acini but did not appear in the prostatic secretion. By two-dimensional electrophoresis the band was resolved into three spots with pI-values around 4.5. The most strongly labeled spot stemmed from a cytosolic selenoprotein with an apparent native molecular mass of about 300 kDa which contained Se in the form of selenocysteine. The fact that with insufficient Se intake the element is preferentially incorporated into this compound as compared with glutathione peroxidase implies an important function of this newly found prostatic epithelial selenoprotein (PES).

Studies on the distribution and characteristics of new mammalian selenium-containing proteins

It has now been established that the essential effects of selenium in mammals are owing to the presence of several biologically active selenium compounds. Seleno-enzymes identified so far include several glutathione peroxidases and the type 1 iodothyronine de-iodinase. Some other selenoproteins have been sequenced and characterized. After in vivo labelling of rats with 75Se and protein separation using gel electrophoretic methods, more than 25 selenium-containing proteins or protein sub-units were detected. Some of the results of the investigations on these compounds are summarized and discussed here. By determining the pattern in a large number of tissues information on the distribution of the selenium-containing proteins was obtained. Their biological significance is not yet known but several findings indicate that some of these proteins may have important functions, especially in the brain and the endocrine and reproductive organs. More detailed information is already available on a 34 kDa-protein found in the testis and spermatozoa. Studies on the effects of dosage and chemical form of dietary selenium indicated that the tissue levels of the seleno-enzymes are homeostatically controlled and cannot be increased by additional supply. The increase in the tissue selenium observed with high selenium intake was found to be mainly caused by the non-specific incorporation of the element into a large number or proteins. The formation of most of the other selenium-containing proteins has priority over that of the cytosolic and plasma glutathione peroxidases. Thus the selenium requirement, which was calculated for optimum plasma glutathione peroxidase activity, also covers the amounts needed for normal levels of the other biologically important selenium compounds.

Application of nuclear analytical methods in the investigation and identification of new selenoproteins

Nuclear methods have been applied in the investigation of selenium-containing proteins in rat tissues. Selenium was determined in tissues, cells, and cellular compartments by instrumental neutron activation analysis via 77mSe or 75Se. For tracer studies, the selenium compounds were labeled in vivo by administering 75Se with a high specific activity to rats. Quantitative determination of very small amounts of the element in protein fractions was achieved by measurement of the tracer after replenishment of selenium-depleted animals with the labeled element. The application of the nuclear methods in the detection, characterization, and identification of new selenium-containing proteins is shown with the help of some examples.

Studies on 16 kDa selenium-containing proteins enriched by means of preparative electrophoresis

By in vivo labeling with [75Se]selenite and separation of the proteins in the tissue homogenates by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), several selenium-containing proteins or protein subunits were detected in rat tissues (liver, lung, spleen and prostate). Their distribution among the cell components was investigated after fractionation by means of differential centrifugation. The selenium-containing proteins in the 16 kDa range were found to be mainly membrane-bound. By two-dimensional electrophoresis they were resolved into three labeled spots, two with the same relative molecular mass and pI values of about 4.8 and 5.0 and the third with a slightly lower molecular mass and a pI of 4.8. For further investigation they were concentrated and separated from the other labeled compounds by SDS-PAGE using preparative flow-through electrophoresis.